MEDAN, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of. – It comprises the entire western part of the island of Sumatra (Indonesia). On 30 June 1911, the said island of Sumatra, together with the other adjacent islands, was detached from the Apostolic Vicariate of Batavia (now Djakarta) and erected as the Apostolic Prefecture of Sumatra, entrusted to the Franciscan Friars Minor Capuchin from the Dutch province.
On 27 December 1923, the islands of Banka and Billiton, together with the Riouve Archipelago, were detached from the same Prefecture of Sumatra, for the erection of two prefectures, those of Banka and Billiton, in the islands of the same names, and that of Bengulen (now Palembang). The remaining territory, comprising the civil residencies of Atjeh, Sumatra, Tapanuli, Sumatra's Westkust, the minor islands, and the district of Indragiri (Riouve Archipelago), took the name of the Apostolic Prefecture of Padang. On 18 July 1932 this mission was elevated to an Apostolic Vicariate, and on 23 December 1941 it received its present name, Apostolic Vicariate of M. Fr. Dionigi della Natività and Fr. Redento della Croce, both Carmelites, were the first missionaries to land on the island of Sumatra (in 1638). There they suffered martyrdom, together with 59 other companions, on 29 November 1638, and were beatified in 1900. The Franciscans arrived there in the second half of the seventeenth century, and the Theatines in 1703.
The inhabitants of this region belong to different peoples, each with its own language. The principal ones are: the Minangkabau in the southern part, the Atjeh in the northern part, the Malaii in the eastern part, the Batak in the central part, and the Nias on the island of the same name. The Malay language, widespread throughout all the regions of Indonesia under the name of the Indonesian language, is the official language of the new Republic of Indonesia.
As regards religion, with the exception of the Batak and the Nias, they are all fanatical Muslims. The Batak and the Nias are partly Protestants and partly pagans, and many are inclined toward the Catholic religion. The population of this mission is approximately 6,000,000, of whom 35,524 are Catholics, 5,000,000 Muslims, 400,000 pagans, and 500,000 Protestants belonging to Lutheran denominations. There are 46 foreign priests; 17 foreign brothers; 82 foreign sisters; 6 minor seminarians; 44 catechists; 98 male teachers and 107 female teachers; 36 nurses; one hospital; 2 orphanages; 18 elementary schools; 6 secondary schools; 6 vocational schools; one teacher-training school; 202 sacred buildings. A newspaper entitled Kong Po is published there, with a circulation of 1,000 copies.